Aren't they fun? NOT! Even for techs they can be a pain. What I suggest is this: Go back to the store where you bought it and ask them to have somebody go through the whole thing with you. Bring a notepad and pen so you can write down the instructions as you would go through the technique. Each recorder is different so it would depend on the one you have. But once you have it written down in your own words you should be able to use it properly.

I"m not exactly sure what sort of DVD recorder you have and what problems you are having but I'll add some tips from when I was using them all the time at my last job.

A DVD generally can hold 2 hours of programming. Like a VCR, you can select SP or LP, which will change the resolution and quality of the video (less time = higher quality). Most will capture them in sections on the DVD, so each 30 minute program (say) is a different section. They often also put chapters every 5 minutes so you can use the "skip ahead" or "skip back" feature on your recorded program.

You should be able to hook it up just the same as a VCR, using channel 3 or whatever is the default. Most guides have very detailed set ups so I would follow your guide for this. You will want to use the best cables you can get. This will affect the quality too. Some options will not be available for your TV, depending on how old it is. Best is HDMI cables, then component cables (red, green and blue, with an audio cable besides), then composite cables (these are the typical red, yellow and white cables), last is the s-video cable (the old circular one with the pin in the middle).

Once you have them connected, you would normally just have to press the "record" button to start it recording. This works well if you are transferring camcorder tapes over to DVD. There is often a "Quick Start" recording option that is very easy to use.

If you are trying to set it up to program in advance (for television), it gets trickier. You need to make sure that your DVD player's clock matches the TV (most auto set themselves so that isn't usually much of a problem). Make sure that you have the correct time zone selected. Then you want to set the times, just like a VCR. You will also need to make sure that your TV is on the right channel or is automatically set up to change to that channel at the right time.

When you have your disk burned, you will need to finalize it so you can watch it on other DVD players. Some older or less expensive models will not allow you to do this, you have to watch it on the recorder. It would say this in your manual if this is the case. I believe that nearly all new ones will let you make a "real" DVD, that you can watch on a computer or regular DVD player.

Personally, I find that using a computer for burning disks is much more reliable for home movies. If you are trying to capture television, I would only bother with ones that you know you are going to watch again and again. as you will have a stack of disks in no time.

Be sure to clean your DVD recorder often. They are extra susceptible to dust, etc. You are supposed to clean all players after every 10 hours of play (or like once a week for most people). This is probably overkill, but you should do it if you ever notice any problems.